Type: Discount store/Public (NYSE: WMT) Founded: Rogers, Arkansas (1962) Location: Bentonville, Arkansas, USA Key people: Sam Walton (1918–1992), Founder, H. Lee Scott, CEO Industry: Retail Products: Discount stores, grocery stores, and hypermarkets Net Revenue: $312.427 billion USD (2006) Net income: $11.231 billion USD (2006) Employees: 1.8 Million.(2006)

As of January 2006, Wal-Mart operates more than 2,600 discount stores both locally and internationally.

Looking ahead, Wal-Mart U.S. expects to open over 305 new, relocated or expanded units in the fiscal year ending January 31, 2007.

In the international ground, Wal-Mart increased its store operation by over 43% and added five new countries to the international portfolio via acquisitions. During the year, Wal-Mart purchased 33.3% interest in Central American Retail Holding Company (CARHCO) operating over 360 supermarkets and other stores throughout Central America. This was followed by an acquisition of 139 hypermarkets, supermarkets and wholesale units in Southern Brazil and an increase of majority interest in Seiyu, a Japanese retail chain with 398 stores. The international market accounts for approximately 20.1% of total 2006 fiscal revenue.
 
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CARREFOUR SA 

Type: Public (EURONEX: CA) Founded: 1957 Location: Paris, France Key people: Jose Luis Duran, Chairman Industry: Retail Products: Hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores Net Revenue: €74.497 billion Euros (2005) Net income: €1.436 billion Euros (2005) Employees: 436,474 (2005)

Carrefour currently ranked No. 1 in Europe for being the largest retailer but ranked  second largest in the world in terms of revenue figures after Wal-Mart.  Wal-Mart
 
Boosted by an improved performance in its home market, French retailer Carrefour saw sales increase by 5.3% for 3Q2006.
 
In Spain, sales continued to grow strongly thanks to a solid performance from hypermarkets and the momentum of hard discount. hypermarket sales increased by 6.5% (2.7% on a like for like basis), driven by a good performance in fresh food and in apparel.
 
Sales in Belgium also saw an increase by 4.5% in the quarter, mainly driven by convenience and product availability. Hypermarkets and supermarkets recorded accelerating trends, with like for likes up 0.7% and 2.2% respectively. In Italy, total sales increased by 7.1% as a result of a strong expansion of Carrefour stores. Greece and Poland continued to show the good trends recorded in the Second quarter. Overall, sales were up 12.7% and 11.5% respectively, on a constant currency basis.
 
Sales in Latin America were up 9.9% on constant exchange rates, driven again by like for likes in Argentina and Colombia as well as the contribution of new m² across the zone.
 
In ASIA, China continued to grow , with sales up 18.6% despite the highly competitive and fast developing market. Indonesia also recorded strong growth of 6.7% . In Taiwan, the situation remains difficult due to the tightening of consumer spending over the last 18 months. In addition, the integration of the former Tesco stores, coupled with Carrefour's strategy of local market saturation, has meant significant cannibalisation of sales in existing stores. Other countries in Asia recorded an increase in sales of 2.1% , as sales trends stabilised in Thailand, where the decision at the beginning of the year to cease selling wholesale continues to weigh on sales, and in Singapore.
 
 
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METRO AG  

Type: Public (FSE: METRO AG) Founded: 1964 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany Key people: Otto Beisheim (Founder), Dr. Hans-Joachim Körber (CEO) Industry: Retail, Wholesale cash & carry Products: Groceries, general merchandise Net Revenue: £55,722 million (2005) Net income: £649 million (2005) Employees: 245,875 (2005)

  
METRO AG is a diversified retail and wholesale/cash and carry group based in Germany. It has the largest market share in its home market, and is one of the most globalised retail and wholesale corporations. In English it often refers to itself as METRO Group.
   
The group's sales division include the following :
 
(1) Metro and Makro Cash and Carry (Makro stores in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe where acquired from SHV in 1998): This division accounts for nearly half of group sales as of 2004, and is by far the most internationalised division, with stores in almost every country in which the group operates.
 
(2) Real: A hypermarket operator. 265 stores in Germany and 34 elsewhere as of early 2005.
 
(3) Extra: A supermarket operator. That is, the stores are smaller than the Real stores. As of early 2005, 443 stores, all in Germany.
 
(4) Media Markt and Saturn: Media Markt is a consumer electronics company with stores in Germany and several other European countries. Saturn is an electronic media chain, also with stores in Germany and some other European countries.
 
(5) Praktiker: A DIY/home improvement chain with stores in several countries. Galeria Kaufhof: A department store chain with locations in Germany and Belgium.
 
In early 2005, Metro entered the Serbian market. As a result, Metro is now represented in 30 countries and more than 2,100 locations. Throughout the year, there are a total of 106 stores. The focus of the expansion has been the growth markets in Eastern Europe and Asia. The share of sales generated abroad reached 53.4 percent, clearing the 50-percent level on an annual basis by a considerable distance.
 
On the contrary, Media Markt plans to make its market entry in Sweden in the current fiscal year and in Russia at the end of 2006 or the beginning of 2007. Metro Cash & Carry is scheduled to open operations in Pakistan in 2007. Following its good experience in the Russian market, Real is planning in 2006 to move ahead with its selective international expansion by entering the Romanian market.

 
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